Danner Ascend GTX – Hiking Boot: Reviews

Mountain-Ready
With its sturdy, full-grain-leather construction, Gore-Tex liner, and plush EVA midsole, the Ascend is far and away the burliest, most rugged boot to win our respect this year. It's twice as heavy as the Stumptown but twice as supportive, too; it's the only boot here we'd recommend for schlepping a heavy (40-to-50-pound) pack all week long. And we'll admit it: In a market overflowing with flash, its old-school aesthetic won us over. It fit our wider-footed testers best—our most narrowfooted testers had trouble getting a snug fit—and it didn't win awards for breathability. But on cool days and demanding trails, the Ascend delivered. 27 oz; danner.com